July 29, 1960 Earthquake: Sanriku, Japan
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan on July 29, 1960 at 17:31:45 UTC, 50 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- July 29, 1960
- Time
- 17:31:45 UTC
- Place
- Sanriku, Japan
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 50 km (31 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 40.300° N, 142.500° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
July 29, 1960, 17:31:45 UTC, 40 N, 142.5 E, Honshu, Japan, depth 100 km, magnitude 6.75. Felt. (reference #45)
July 30, 1960, 2:31 [local time], 40.2 N, 142.6 E, depth 30 km, magnitude 7. An earthquake occurred with source off the coast of Iwate Prefecture, accompanied by a very weak tsunami, which was barely registered by tide gauges. (reference #414)
July 30, 1960, 02:31 local time, 40.3 N, 142.5 E, magnitude 6.7. (reference #150)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 15, 1896, Sanriku, Japan
- March 8, 1766, Hirosaki, Japan
- August 31, 1896, Senhoku, Ugo, Japan
- May 16, 1968, Off East Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- August 23, 1856, Oshima, Japan
- June 13, 2008, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- December 28, 1994, Honshu, Japan
- July 23, 2008, N, Honshu, Japan
- October 2, 1678, Sanriku,rikuchu, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- March 9, 1931, Near E Coast Honshu, Japan
- August 16, 1739, N Sanriku,mutsu, Japan
- June 10, 1088, Sanriku, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1960The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1960Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6591.